Chinese Herbs for Anxiety
Anxiety is a natural reaction to stress. Properly experienced, anxiety helps a person focus on a situation that requires intense concentration or quick decisions. However, unfocused and irrational anxiety is the basis of a number of psychological conditions that can include general anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder and social anxiety disorder. Chinese medicine, with its view that anxiety is caused by an imbalance in the chi, or life force, offers several herbs to help reduce anxiety.
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Source of Anxiety
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In traditional Chinese medicine, anxiety is viewed as a problem in the chest. The chest is considered the seat of emotion. Events in life can cause the chest area to tighten, thus constricting the flow of chi in the chest area. This constriction restricts blood flow and chi flow to the liver, thus causing liver stagnation and anxiety disorders.
Chai Hu
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Chai hu is a Chinese herb often prescribed to help with blood and chi flow in the chest area. Chai hu is often prescribed in conjunction with other herbs, among them tai zi shen, sheng mu li and huang qin.Chai hu is often specifically prescribed for anxiety associated with premenstrual syndrome.
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He Huan Pi
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He huan pi is the bark of the mimosa tree. It is a calming tonic of the heart-liver meridian, one of the 12 channels of chi that correspond to the main body organs. He huan pi is used to relieve constrained emotions, and as such is prescribed for anxiety and anxiety disorders. It is also recommended for insomnia and depression and commonly is used to manage poor memory and irritability.
He Huan Hua
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He huan hua is the flower of the mimosa tree. It is a neutral herb, not adding heat or cold to the chi. Like he huan pi, it operates on the heart-liver meridian. It has similar properties to he huan pi, but is considered a stronger herb. He huan hua and he huan pi also are used to treat pain and swelling on the skin and in the abdominal region.
Fu Shen
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Fu shen is a mushroom and root most often collected in late summer. Fu shen is sometimes called poria spirit and works to calm the liver and strengthen the heart-liver chi meridian. It is specifically employed in Chinese medicine for the treatment of excessive fearfulness, or anxiety.
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- Photo Credit Photo: Joana Croft, stock.xchng
